4/30/2004 02:20:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

An article on the Restoration Team site today details some of the specifics around the forthcoming release of Ghost Light, due out on DVD in the UK in early September. The commentary for the story has been recorded with Sophie Aldred (Ace), writer Marc Platt, script editor Andrew Cartmel and incidental musician Mark Ayres. The article discusses the process by which the extant extra footage had been discovered, and notes that several hours of raw footage were made available to the restoration group after being recorded by a BBC engineer and, miraculously, never wiped. In addition to the commentary and 5.1 surround remix, a 20-minute extended and deleted scenes package was included (it was not possible to create a longer version of the story, a la "Curse of Fenric," because of the time code burned into the VHS copy), as well as a 12-minute Q&A session with Platt recorded at 1990's Panopticon, and two featurettes: "Light in Dark Places" (38 min) featuring interviews with Sylvester McCoy (the Doctor), Aldred, Sharon Duce (Control), Ian Hogg (Josiah Smith), Michael Cochrane (Redvers Fenn-Cooper), Katharine Schlesinger (Gwendolyn), Cartmel and Ayres; and "Shooting Ghosts" (20 min), a behind-the-scenes look at the studio process with the only recording of such still in existence. As stated before, it will also include a photo gallery, an easter egg or two, and production subtitle notes. (Thanks to the Restoration Team)

4/29/2004 02:24:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Producer Bill Baggs contacted Outpost Gallifrey to let us know that the planned Doctor Who special he was involved with -- rumored to include actor Alan Cumming, as we reported here back in March -- will not be going ahead. "I work for a department called English Regions," Bill told OG, "and after much consideration, the Head [of programming] has decided that a Dr Who TV drama is not something we should be doing." However, Baggs will be involved in making three films for BBC South Today. "Southern Ways is an arts and entertainment strand and we'll be focussing on locations that were used for Dr Who that are in the South (the programmes patch)." And that's where readers come in. "I need your help. Anyone with specific memories of filming in the South of England (Sussex, Hampshire, Dorset, Oxfordshire and Berkshire) and who are still based here, please contact me, as we're looking for contributors. Transmission is due for mid July and filming starts soon." If you can help, contact Outpost Gallifrey and we'll forward your information on. (Thanks to Bill Baggs)

4/29/2004 02:24:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

BBCi has listed the extras on the forthcoming UK DVD release of Ghost Light, which was confirmed by the latest issue of DWM. Included on the disc will be a commentary track (no word on who, but we at least expect Sylvester McCoy & Sophie Aldred); a 5.1 audio remix and isolated music score; featurettes including "Light in the Darkness," "Shooting Ghosts" (with "unique behind the scenes studio footage"); an extended/deleted scenes package; and a writer Q&A session recorded at Panopticon X in 1990. More details soon! (Thanks to BBCi, Steve Roberts, and Jonathan Morris for pointing it out to us!)

4/29/2004 02:23:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

A couple of updates to yesterday's Big Finish news article. Nicholas Briggs is the director of Faith Stealer; the single-disc McCoy story is not mentioned as being a DWM giveaway, but will instead initially be given free to BF subscribers (a la The Maltese Penguin); January 2005's Game Time will, like Rassilon, be a three-CD release, and both the triple-disc releases will retail for less than "Zagreus" but the final price has not been fixed. (Thanks to Steve Tribe and DWM)

4/29/2004 02:23:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Justin Richards tells Doctor Who Magazine, "It looks likely at the moment that the PDAs will continue to be published as before while the series is off-air, with New Who adventures - aimed very much at the same audience as the new series - coming out while the series is being transmitted." Whether that means that the current January-March 2005 publication schedule has changed remains to be seen. Richards also noted that "Doctor Who: The Legend," the hardcover anniversary book, is sold out (at least from BBC Books; copies remain in shops and distributors' hands.)

4/28/2004 02:27:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Twin developments will occur in the next year that will formally mark the end of the era of the Eighth Doctor (as played by Paul McGann) as the "current" Doctor, although it won't mark the end of his appearances. According to the latest issue of DWM,Big Finish will be releasing one final "season" of McGann audios from September through December of this year (possibly bumping the previously announced "Dead Man's Hand" to early 2005), which will tie up the current story arc (the Divergent universe)... and which will conclude with a special three-disc release (a la "Zagreus") in December. Individual stories starring Paul McGann will then become part of the monthly rotation like the other three Doctors as of 2005. Meanwhile, BBC Books will feature one final 'official' book from the Eighth Doctor Adventures series -- written by Lance Parkin ("The Infinity Doctors"), according to a post of Parkin's on the Jade Pagoda mailing list. After this, the Eighth Doctor will become part of the monthly book series like the other seven Doctors, which is expected to continue unabated into 2005 and beyond. (Thanks to DWM, Lance Parkin)

4/28/2004 02:27:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

According to the new issue of Doctor Who Magazine, Ghost Light will be the next DVD release after the upcoming "The Leisure Hive," due out in September -- confirming earlier reports here on the Outpost Gallifrey news pages. More details soon.

4/28/2004 02:27:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

BBC Worldwide has finally issued a press release about the upcoming CD release of The Wheel in Space, starring Patrick Troughton, Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury, due out May 3 from the BBC Radio Collection. "Patrick Troughton stars as the second Doctor in this six-part story from 1968 - only two episodes of which survive in the BBC Television Archives. With linking narration by Wendy Padbury, who plays the Doctor's new c

4/28/2004 02:26:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

A few items in last week's media to report on (with thanks to Steve Tribe and Paul Engelberg):

A brief mention in today's Guardian, in an article on "Parkinson" leaving the BBC at the same time as various of his contemporaries return to the corporation, mentions Who in passing: "As Simon Cowell's latest talent show for ITV, The X-Factor, abolishes any upper age limit for contestants, the man who has lived at least nine lives, Doctor Who, is also heading back to our screens with the programme hitting 40 and the Time Lord himself nudging 1,000." Read it here (note: the Guardian now requires registration!)

The Ayrshire Post on April 15 featured an article called "Prof Hawking can speak like a Dalek or try the new technology" referring to Stephen Hawking and his stubbornness in replacing his speaking-device computer, which would be nearly impossible to repair due to antiquated parts. "But no... the professor is hell-bent on continuing to talk like a dalek and new speech synthesisers don’t speak like that no more...apparently! The professor maintains he has spoken like a dalek for years and argues that he has a right to talk that way if he wants to."

From the "arcane" files: Australia's Tenterfield Star on April 22 ran a story about the Wallangarra Railway Station, which mentioned how the station and museum, which straddle the border between Queensland and New South Wales, has become a popular stop for tourists and history buffs... not the least of which is due to the old TARDIS-style phone box in the station's heritage centre! Meanwhile, down in New Zealand, the Herald ran a story on April 24 noting how new post boxes have hit the streets: "They look like a cross between a Dalek from Dr Who and the robot from Lost in Space, and they are coming to a street corner near you."

Ten Things You Didn't Know About Daleks ran in last week's South Wales Echo. It was a largely factual piece with ten pieces of trivia about the pepperpot villains, including "Daleks are mutants from the planet Skaro," "Creator Terry Nation said he was "inspired" by the letter coding on an encyclopedia, DAL - LEK. He later admitted he couldn't remember how the name came about." and "8. The Daleks once had their own West End stage play."

4/28/2004 02:25:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

The Sci Fi Online site, picking up the ball with our news story from earlier in this week about the late-year release in North America of two "The Missing Years" DVD releases, has their own story (merely rumored until we hear otherwise) about the contents of the box set coming out in late 2004 from BBC Worldwide in the UK. The report suggests that there will be a single set (split in two for some reason in the US, as we reported here), which will include the existing standalone episodes from the first two Doctors' eras: episodes 1 and 3 of "The Crusade," episodes 2 and 4 of "The Moonbase," episodes 3 and 6 of "The Wheel in Space," episode 2 of "The Evil of the Daleks," episode 2 of "The Space Pirates," episode 3 of "The Underwater Menace," episode 1 of "The Web of Fear," episode 2 of "The Abominable Snowmen" and episodes 1, 2 and 3 of "The Tenth Planet", as well as three episodes of "The Daleks' Master Plan," episodes 5 and 10 and the recently-recovered episode 2. Says the article, "Missing from the release will be The Ice Warriors, Invasion and Reign of Terror, presumably as all three titles could justify a release in their own right despite them being incomplete. ... All the material will of course be fully restored and most likely linked by newly shot documentary footage explaining why episodes were junk in the first place. A large photo archive is available as is a large number of short clips from lost adventures, principally the Australian censor footage. Expect a lavish three disc production - just in time for the programme's return to our screens." Update: The site did not previously include episodes 1 & 3 of "The Faceless Ones," episode 4 of "The Celestial Toymaker" and episode 3 of "Enemy of the World" in the package, but now does. As always, treat this as just a rumor until you hear it confirmed by BBC Worldwide. (Thanks to sci-fi online, Rich Kirkpatrick, Jeff Roehner)

4/28/2004 02:25:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Big Finish have announced details of their upcoming releases through next March 2005 in the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine. As noted in a news item earlier today, the final 'season' of stories featuring Paul McGann as the 'current' Doctor begins in September, with India Fisher as Charley, Conrad Westmaas as C'Rizz, and Stephen Perring as the Kro'ka. The four-story arc begins with September's Faith Stealer by Graham Duff, then continues with October's The Last by Gary Hopkins, November's Caerdroia by popular BBC Books author Lloyd Rose ("City of the Dead," "Camera Obscura") and concludes with a three-CD story by Alan Barnes tentatively entitled Rassilon. January 2005 will see Game Time by Darin Henry, a Fifth Doctor serial with companions unknown, followed in February 2005 by The Juggernauts by Scott Alan Woodard, featuring the Sixth Doctor and Mel with Terry Molloy reprising the role of Davros, plus the Daleks and the Mechanoids; and March 2005 sees the release of Dead Man's Hand by John Ostrander, featuring the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Hex, in a story previously announced for release this coming September but delayed due to the McGann stories.

Additionally, Big Finish has announced their next mini-series, a four disc UNIT series that runs from December to next March, produced by Ian Farrington; the writers and casting is currently unconfirmed (although we're sure you're likely to see Nicholas Courtney in there somewhere!) The Unbounds will continue with a special one-shot two-CD Unbound release this November produced by John Ainsworth; as previously reported, it'll be a sequel to one of the original Unbound audios with the return of that Unbound star. And DWM will also run a single-disc Seventh Doctor story as they've done in the past, possibly next January; the author and story are as yet unconfirmed. Producer Gary Russell also wants Christopher Eccleston to hopefully do one someday (who wouldn't?) but says it's time to let him get settled into the role first! For all these and other details pick up the new issue of DWM on sale this week.

4/26/2004 02:28:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

The UK paper The Sun says that the Daleks have been voted "the LEAST scary screen aliens of all time." Says the article: "Doctor Who’s sworn enemy beat baddies like Ming the Merciless from the Flash Gordon films and Star Trek’s Klingons to top the poll. The killer creature from the Alien movie was scariest of all time in the survey to launch a new Space Invaders scratchcard. Bizarrely, the Daleks came second in the same poll." (Thanks to Andrew Harvey)

4/24/2004 02:32:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

BBCi has begun serializing Justin Richards' Doctor Who novel The Sands of Time, a sequel to "Pyramids of Mars" from the television series, as an e-book on BBCi. "The Sands of Time" was originally part of Virgin Publishing's "Doctor Who: The Missing Adventures" series, as the Fifth Doctor "mingles with the mummies and Nyssa gets wrapped up in a whole lot of trouble." Richards provides notes and a new conclusion to the novel; this version also features the ability to download to a handheld device. Visit the BBCi site for more details or to read the ebook.

4/24/2004 02:31:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Writer David Howe tells the Alien Online site about the recent release in the UK of "Daemos Rising," the direct-to-video sequel to the Doctor Who serial "The Daemons" which stars Miles Richardson and Beverley Cressman. "I wanted to play with the characters a little," says Howe, "and to see what made them tick. I always loved The Daemons - it's simply so full of great themes and potential that just one television outing never seemed enough. The decision on the two main characters was given to me by the Producer/Director Keith Barnfather. He had worked with both actors previously, and wanted to continue with their characters from the Downtime video. The character of the 'Ghost' (played by Andrew Wisher) and the background to the story came from Telos Publishing's Time Hunter range of books, another spin off from Doctor Who. So it's all very Who influenced and referenced and certainly takes place in the same 'universe' as Who, but with more of a Sapphire and Steel spin on it perhaps. Keith and I both wanted to see how far we could go in both entertaining and unnerving the viewer ... and I hope we succeed on both counts."

4/24/2004 02:31:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Issue #117 of Dreamwatch magazine is published this Thursday, April 29. The issue "takes a look at the new Doctor Who and asks what can we really expect from the new series. A panel of SF figures - ranging from Doctor Who stars Colin Baker and Sophie Aldred to Farscape's Rockne S. O'Bannon and Gerry Anderson - also outline their hopes and fears for the show. Plus, we've got exclusive new interviews with Mal Young and Stephen Moffat; and an exclusive column by Barry Letts on his hopes for the new series and what the producers can learn from his time on the show." The cover is seen at right. (Thanks to David Bassom)

4/24/2004 02:30:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Enigma Productions will be presenting two upcoming events: An Evening with Colin Baker (the Sixth Doctor) on Sunday, September 19, and An Evening With John Levene (Benton) on Sunday October 10, both at Alexander's Jazz Theatre, Rufus Court, Chester. The evening events include "a bar til midnight, and the promise of Daleks prowling the venue, this is an event to miss at your peril!!" More details are available via telephone on 07732 706368 or emailenigmaproductions2004@yahoo.co.uk. (Thanks to Carolyn Ibis and Erica at Enigma)

4/24/2004 02:30:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

One of North America's few annual conventions, United Fan Con in Massachusetts has put out a call to arms to fans across America for aid. "New England's premier non-profit fan run science fiction convention has fallen on hard times. The last two conventions created a large deficit which now threatens future conventions. We are asking fans to assist us in one or more of the following ways: make a donation, purchase items via our eBay store (http://stores.ebay.com/United-Fan-Con), or attend one of our upcoming fundraising events. All of these fundraising activities will help assure the future of the convention." In addition to raising funds to cover their losses from the previous two events, they are looking to build funds for their next event in November, which has so far confirmed a rare appearance by actress Gates McFadden ("Star Trek: The Next Generation"). Outpost Gallifrey encourages all our readers to help a great convention keep alive for the foreseeable future!

4/24/2004 02:29:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Elisabeth Sladen will be returning to the studio to record links for the second volume of the BBC Radio Collection's Doctor Who at the BBC audio release, a documentary CD series featuring rare audio clips from BBC Radio's long history of coverage of the program. According to an interview conducted with the American Who radio program, recording of the material will take place in early May in Bath. Sladen's interview will be broadcast on the American Who website in late May or early June; we'll keep you posted. (Thanks to Joey Reynolds)

4/24/2004 02:29:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Actor Philip Locke, who portrayed Bigon in 1982's Peter Davison serial "Four to Doomsday," died on April 19. Among his many roles was in the Bond film "Thunderball" (as silent assassin Vargas), as Sir Roderick Glossop in "Jeeves and Wooster" and on stage as Professor Moriarty in a production of "Sherlock Holmes" in 1974 that won him a Tony award nomination. He was 76. (Thanks to Matthew Kilburn)

4/24/2004 02:29:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Outpost Gallifrey has learned, from BBC America's online shop, that the next two DVD releases -- after the forthcoming June releases of "The Curse of Fenric" and "The Two Doctors -- will be the Peter Davison serial Earthshock and the Tom Baker serial Pyramids of Mars, both due out the first Tuesday of September. Official confirmation of these is expected shortly. Meanwhile, BBC America Shop has also reported that they have tentatively slated two special releases in for late in the year:The Missing Adventures: The William Hartnell Years and The Missing Adventures: The Patrick Troughton Years, two DVD releases that we expect have some sort of connection to the rumored DVD box set likely being released late in the year in the UK by BBC Video. We'll keep you posted with more details, and cover illustrations for "Pyramids" and "Earthshock," when we receive them.

4/16/2004 02:33:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Issue #343 of Doctor Who Magazine will feature Christopher Eccleston's "first full-length interview," a four-page spread about his casting and his thoughts on getting the role. Says BBCi, there's also tantalising hints on how he'll be playing the Doctor. "Doctor Who has two hearts - so does that mean he cares twice as much?" Also in the next issue are part two of the Marco Polo telesnaps, an article on The Mark of the Rani, an interview with author David McIntee ("The Eleventh Tiger") and the usual news, reviews and features. It's out April 29. (Thanks to BBCi)

4/16/2004 02:32:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Fallen Gods, the Telos novella from 2003 written by Kate Orman and Jonathan Blum, recently won the 2004 Aurealis Award for Best Australian Science Fiction Novel, the first TV spin-off novel to win this award. The Aurealis is a jury-voted professional science fiction award. Congratulations to Jon and Kate on this achievement.

4/15/2004 02:37:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Sylvia Syms, who played Mrs. Pritchard in "Ghost Light," and who co-starred with William Hartnell in "The World Ten Times Over," will be appearing in "Sylvia Syms in Conversation" at the National Film Theatre on Sunday, April 25, to discuss her roles in film and television and will be sharing her experiences of working with memorable talents such as Laurence Harvey (Expresso Bongo), Dirk Bogarde (Victim) and Sir John Mills (Ice Cold in Alex). It will be followed by a screening of the 1957 film "Woman in a Dressing Gown," Syms' favorite of her own performances ("...the best part I had.") More details are available atwww.nft.org.uk. (Thanks to Matthew Sweet)

4/15/2004 02:36:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Peter Davison made a guest appearance as himself on the Simon Nye-scripted sitcom "Hardware" which aired last Sunday on ITV. Various jokes were made throughout the episode that referenced Doctor Who. Once again, perhaps indicating that the show is very much back in the public consciousness; the program also finished on a discussion as to what tool would they take into space on board the TARDIS, and a rivet gun and an folding workbench were amongst the suggestions. (Thanks to Andrew Ford, "original1234567," Ian Wheeler)

4/15/2004 02:36:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

BBC America is currently airing Shallow Grave starring new Doctor, Christopher Eccleston, as well as Ewan McGregor and Ken Stott. "What's a little murder among friends? After three Edinburgh roommates finally choose a new roommate that they can live with, they find him dead on the floor with a suitcase full of cash. While trying to remove the body and extricate themselves from the situation, they wade hip-deep into a world of drugs, greed, and madness." Click here for the BBC America site; you can find upcoming airings on the site.

4/15/2004 02:36:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Two new prints have been released by The Stamp Centre depicting Anneke Wills as Polly; each are limited to 1000 prints. One features Polly in "The Smugglers" and the other from "The Tenth Planet". For more details visit the Stamp Centre site; click on each graphic below for a larger version. (Thanks to Gallifrey 5)

4/15/2004 02:35:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

MJTV is soon to release the fourth volume in their "The Actor Speaks" CD documentary series, this one focusing on Paul Darrow, the star of "Blake's 7" and multiple Doctor Who guest starring roles. The CD, which is released at this April's Star One convention, features several interviews with Paul about B7 and his other works, three monologues read by Paul written by Tanith Lee and Mark Thompson, and a short story from Magic Bullet's "Kaldor City" audio series called "The Prisoner," featuring Darrow as Kaston Iago and Peter Miles as Landerchild. (Thanks to MJTV)

4/15/2004 02:35:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Big Finish has confirmed a few details for 2004 releases on their Bernice Summerfield line, continuing the adventures of the former Doctor Who novel companion. Lance Parkin pens the first Benny novel in some time, The Big Hunt, due out in May; July sees the release of The Benny Trilogy (title to be announced) featuring three novellas in one volume, by Jacqueline Rayner, Paul Sutton and Joseph Lidster; and A Life Worth Living, the fourth Benny short story anthology, is due out in September, and is edited by Simon Guerrier. These are in addition to their previously announced audios and non-fiction books due later in the year (see the release guide for details!)

4/15/2004 02:34:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Outpost Gallifrey has received the cover blurb for the forthcoming BBC Books novel Synthespians™ by Craig Hinton, in release this summer. It reads as follows (with thanks to Craig):

Synthespians™, by Craig Hinton

"We're the Nestenes, darling," she said, turning to the camera and giving her trademark smile. "We've been colonising other planets for a thousand million years.

"All right, Mr Matheson - I'm ready for my close-up."

In the 101st century, nostalgia is everything. Television from the 20th century is the new obsession, and Reef Station One is receiving broadcasts from a distant Earth of the past, transmitting them to a waiting audience. Dixon of Dock Green, Z-Cars and Professor X are ratings winners - and the inhabitants of the New Earth Republic can't get enough.

But there are other forces in the galaxy; other forces that need Reef Station One. An ancient but dying race sees this human outpost as a last desperate hope for survival... and billionaire Walter J Matheson III sees them as a marvellous business opportunity.

When the Doctor and Peri arrive on Reef Station One, they find a fractured society, totally dependent on film and television. They also discover that the Republic's greatest entrepreneur is in league with one of the Doctor's oldest enemies.

As the Nestene Consciousness spreads its tentacles throughout the Republic, the Doctor and Peri must unravel the link between Walter J Matheson's business empire and the Nestenes. Because, if they don't, they'll end up in the deadliest soap opera of all time.

4/15/2004 02:34:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Big Finish updated their website with some further details of coming releases, including the cover, cast and cover blurbs forMedicinal Purposes and The Harvest and the cover blurb for the forthcoming anthology Short Trips: Life Science, all below (click on the thumbnails for larger versions of the covers). Also in the news: the first of the four part Gallifrey series,Weapon of Choice is now out but there have been reports of faulty discs; see the Big Finish site for details about returning them for replacements. Big Finish also has trailers for all four Gallifrey audios.

The Harvest, by Dan Abnett

On the morning of October 12th, 2021 Hex woke up. He was expecting to go to work at St Gart's in London as normal and, that evening, have a great time in the bar of the White Rabbit, celebrating his 23rd birthday.

But after his ex-flatmate is wheeled into A&E following a bike accident, and the strange young woman from Human Resources tries to chat him up and an eight-foot tall guy in a Merc tries to run him down, Hex realises things are not going quite as he expected.

Then in a Shoreditch car park he meets the enigmatic Doctor who explains that he's an extra-terrestrial investigator and something very strange is going on up on the thirty-first floor of St Garts.

Therefore, aided and abetted by the Doctor and his other new friend 'Just McShane', Hex decides to investigate. Trouble is, everything that goes on at the hospital is being observed and noted by the occupants of the thirty-first floor. Occupants who are none too pleased that people are poking their noses into business that doesn't concern them. Occupants who will go extraordinary lengths to ensure that no one discovers the truth.

Once, we believed our lives were sacred, that we had souls. Now we know we are mere machines; genetic data. We are science.

But even as we learn, the properties of life remain uncertain. How does life acquire consciousness, or rights? Does a robot dream? If a person transforms into an oak tree, is it science, or the work of gods? Did the Victorians find a way to resurrect the dead?

To science, such questions are invitations to explore. Who better to explore with, than the Doctor?

Includes "The Changes" by Gareth Wigmore, "The End" by Alexander Leithes, "The Age of Ambition" by Andrew Campbell, "A Star is Reborn" by Richard Salter, "Mortal Thoughts" by Trevor Baxendale, "Sea Change" by Kate Orman, "Jonah" by Todd Green, "Observation" by Ian Farrington, "The Reproductive Cycle" by Matthew Griffiths, "Syntax" by David Bailey, "A Rose by any other name" by Jim Mortimore, "Sight Unseen" by John Seavey, "Land Land" by Jonathan Morris, "Northern Sights" by Mark Stevens, and "The Destroyers" by Steve Lyons.

Medicinal Purposes, by Robert Ross

Edinburgh, 1827. The infamous body snatchers William Burke and William Hare are at large. The local prostitutes dull their fear with cheap whisky. The graveyard owls are hooting. Business is good.

When accidental tourists the Doctor and Evelyn Smythe stumble upon one of Britain's most lurid, illuminating chapters in history, a simple case of interest in the work of dedicated man of science Doctor Robert Knox, quickly turns sour.

Just what is that time bending Scots mist? What ever it is may put the very fabric of the universe under threat.

4/15/2004 02:33:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

The new Doctor Who exhibition at Blackpool has now opened! After an absence of nearly 20 years, the new exhibition has opened and "features a Hall of Monsters, the Doctor's sprightly yellow roadster Bessie, and a dodgy Dalek that has trouble with his battle cry." The exhibition is open daily from 10am to 6pm. There's an article at BBCi and reports on BBC news hereand here; also, courtesy our reader Richard Thomas we've got a couple exclusive pictures here below, click on each for a larger version.

4/02/2004 02:38:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Newly appointed BBC Chairman Michael Grade gave an interview today to the PM program on BBC Radio 4. One of the topics discussed was Doctor Who. "The last time I axed Doctor Who," Grade told host Eddie Mair, "there was all sorts of consternation amongst the Board of Governors. It's not a matter for the Governors, it's a matter for the Management." He mentioned that he would tolerate the return of the series: "This time it's none of my business what happens to Doctor Who, as long as I don't have to watch it." Grade, as BBC Chairman, is not responsible for the decisions made on BBC programming, as we reported yesterday. You can listen to the interview at the PM site on BBCi by clicking here. (Thanks to Frank Shailes, Jonathan Boakes)

Additionally, BBCi has an interesting viewer feedback poll up. Called "Do you make the Grade?," it's a BBC news poll about the Grade appointment. "Michael Grade has been appointed BBC chairman and will have a tough job on his hands in the wake of Lord Hutton's criticism of the BBC earlier this year. But do you think you have what it takes to do the corporation's top job? Our quiz below features nine questions every BBC chairman should know." (Thanks to Steve Tribe)

4/02/2004 02:37:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Richard Leech, the Irish-born character actor who played Gatherer Hade in "The Sun Makers," has died of undisclosed causes. He passed away on March 24 at age 81. Among his many roles were parts in the films "Gandhi," "A Handful of Dust," "The Red Dress," "A Night to Remember" and "The Shooting Party" and guest appearances on TV in "North and South," "David Copperfield," "A Woman of Substance," "Barchester Chronicles," "Smiley's Poeple" and "The Duchess of Duke Street". An obituary can be found at the Telegraph paper's website. (Thanks to Andrew Green, Matthew Kilburn)

4/01/2004 02:40:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

BBC Worldwide has put out a press release about the May release of The Green Death on DVD in the UK; the release was previously confirmed at BBCi and the Restoration Team site. (Although it's quite interesting that the press release can't spell Jon Pertwee's name correctly...) (Thanks to Steve Tribe)

4/01/2004 02:39:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine announces that Big Finish will soon publish Doctor Who: The Audio Scripts Volume Four, which will feature the full scripts, production notes and essays on the company's "villains" trilogy and anniversary special: Nev Fountain's "Omega," Lance Parkin's "Davros," Joseph Lidster's "Master" and Alan Barnes & Gary Russell's "Zagreus". The book will be out in September. Meanwhile, the issue also mentions that famed character actor Leslie Phillips will appear in the forthcoming "Medicinal Purposes" (the August CD release) as Dr. Robert Knox. Also, at the recent United Fan Con East convention, Terry Molloy confirmed that he was returning to the role of Davros for a Big Finish audio to be released later this year, an audio that he performs in with Colin Baker and Bonnie Langford. And according to Nicholas Briggs, William Gaunt, best known to Doctor Who fans as Orcini in "Revelation of the Daleks", will be in the forthcoming "Dalek Empire III" series; Briggs also confirmed, at the recent "Dr. Who and the Daleks" convention, that there would be a fourth 'season' of stories with Paul McGann, India Fisher and Conrad Westmaas in early 2005. (Thanks to DWM, Steve Tribe)

4/01/2004 02:39:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

Peter Diamond, who was both a guest actor as well as fight arranger for several early Doctor Who stories, died on Saturday, March 27, due to a stroke. Diamond was the fight arranger for "The Dalek Invasion of Earth," "The Romans," "The Space Museum," "The Chase," "The Highlanders," "The Evil of the Daleks," "The War Games" and "The Daemons"; he also played Delos in "The Romans," a Morok in "The Space Museum," a sailor in "The Highlanders" and Davis in "The Ice Warriors". Diamond also made a mark in another SF production; he was the Tusken Raider who attacked Luke in the original "Star Wars" film. (Thanks to Ben Jolly)

4/01/2004 02:38:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

As has been rumored over the past several weeks, Michael Grade, the former controller of BBC1 and later of Channel 4 and the man who put Doctor Who on an eighteen-month hiatus in 1985 after the twenty-second season, has been appointed as the new chairman of the BBC. Grade, who has never withheld his contempt of Doctor Who and who, in fact, in a 1999 interview said he would have killed it off permanently if he'd had the chance, was originally touted as one of the handful of finalists chosen by Culture secretary Tessa Jowell. News from today's Financial Times indicated that Grade was expected to be named today, and apparently BBC Radio 5 announced on their 11:30pm news broadcast this evening -- a report confirmed by BBC Ceefax, by the BBC's political editors -- that the choice had indeed been made for Grade to take the role of BBC Chairman, and that the Friday morning papers would confirm this. Update 2 April, 0030 GMT: BBC News confirms the announcement; the Guardian has also printed the story.

Outpost Gallifrey has been reliably informed by several people that the role of chairman is not involved in the programming or day-to-day operations of the BBC channels, and at this point there is no danger expected toward Russell T. Davies' new Doctor Who series production which has been advancing since last September, so any fans concerned that the new series will be canceled shouldn't worry!